The present invention relates generally to agricultural machinery and, more particularly, to improvements to forager harvesters for chopping agricultural crops.
A self-propelled forager or forage harvester generally has a frame, chassis, engine, a chopper drum, a conveying channel mounted behind with a post-accelerator arranged therein, and a rotating screening device which is mounted in front of the radiator and which is brushed with a dust-removing suction housing.
A similar forager is shown in European Patent 0 481 203. During operation, the engine compartment as well as the maintenance compartment of the self-propelled forager are covered with dust particles which settle therein. The term "dust particles" includes, for example, dirt and chaff. Also, dust particles invade the cooling air drawn in for the engine. Under adverse wind conditions, dirt particles or chopped crop material particles also can be blown into the maintenance and engine compartments. Furthermore, while traveling, both the self-propelled forager and equipment traveling alongside, such as tractors with trailers into which the chopped material is blown, throw up dust which collects in the engine and maintenance compartments. The problem can arise in particular when the engine compartment and the maintenance compartment have openings at the top or on at least one side. Accumulation of dust is undesirable because it hinders maintenance work in the maintenance compartment. Also, there can be a risk of fire in the engine compartment due to accumulations of chaff and other remains of dry crop material. In particular, there is a danger of the ignition of accumulated crop material by heat from the engine or its exhaust pipes. Further, the ignited crop materials may fall onto the field and set the whole field on fire.
It is an object of the present invention to prevent the accumulation of dust, dirt and crop material particles in the engine and/or maintenance compartment of an agricultural machine to the greatest extent possible.